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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Obesity is a disease of the poor in the west and the rich everywhere else

102 replies

AllUpInWomanBusiness · 30/10/2020 14:34

OK, so I realise I’m unreasonable to be stating the obvious, but isn’t this wild? For the first time in human history fattening food - sugar, meat - is more affordable than the alternative. And poor people are eating themselves to death. It’s heartbreaking isn’t it?

OP posts:
flaviaritt · 30/10/2020 14:37

I’m not poor. I’m fat. I just eat too much.

BrumBoo · 30/10/2020 14:37

What a load of patronising wank.

bengalcat · 30/10/2020 14:43

Actually vegetables are cheaper than meat .

Ted27 · 30/10/2020 14:45

I’m not poor, I’m not rich, I am fat though

Its so much more complicated

Bearplumapple · 30/10/2020 14:45

Why have you started this? The phrase eating themselves to death is wildly offensive to the people you've just mentioned.

Original poster
AllUpInWomanBusiness · 30/10/2020 14:46

Why is it patronising wank BrumBoo? It’s shocking that a disease of excess is more common amongst the poor. And I understand of course that vegetables are cheaper than meat in terms of weight/cost but calorie/cost they probably aren’t these days? To be able to eat meat daily is a massive luxury I think

OP posts:
FuzzyPuffling · 30/10/2020 14:48

I'm overweight and vegetarian.

Original poster
AllUpInWomanBusiness · 30/10/2020 14:49

Talking about it is easier than going through it though isn’t it @BearPlumApple? I started it because it’s interesting. Sugar used to be a luxury item. Now I could go and buy 10 chocolate bars for a pound. How has food culture shifted so that’s possible? What does that mean for food producers/individuals/the environment? I’m not having a pop at poor people. Affordable luxury is the way many people can make it through the day. Or affordable calorie context. I just don’t understand how this became the prevailing food landscape in the west

OP posts:
Lolwhat · 30/10/2020 14:50

I’m not poor or rich I just like food and I hate cooking

melisande99 · 30/10/2020 14:50

It's increasingly a disease of the poor elsewhere in the world too. E.g. Latin America.

PurpleDaisies · 30/10/2020 14:52

You can easily be a fat vegetarian or vegan. This isn’t an eating meat vs not.

BrumBoo · 30/10/2020 14:57

@AllUpInWomanBusiness

Why is it patronising wank BrumBoo? It’s shocking that a disease of excess is more common amongst the poor. And I understand of course that vegetables are cheaper than meat in terms of weight/cost but calorie/cost they probably aren’t these days? To be able to eat meat daily is a massive luxury I think
You have lumped the whole world together into 'rich vs poor fatties' when there are far far more factors involved with food. In the west, many families have both parents working so the old ideals of 'mother stays home and cooks a full homemade meal three times a day' are long gone. People work long hours, sometimes inconvenient shifts, so quick dinners or takeaways are easier regardless of financial situations. We live in a culture of 'quick options' but if that means more family time then there has to be a compromise somewhere.

As for eating more sugar, it's simply more available. I think you'll find plenty of middle class people are eating their way into a jaffa cake shape grave.

BrumBoo · 30/10/2020 14:57

@melisande99

It's increasingly a disease of the poor elsewhere in the world too. E.g. Latin America.
A disease of the poor? I think you need to rephrase that.
FuzzyPuffling · 30/10/2020 14:58

You can easily be a fat vegetarian or vegan. This isn’t an eating meat vs not.

I know that, but the OP was banging on about sugar and meat in the same sentence. And talking about people eating meat every day.

Powerbunting · 30/10/2020 15:00

Nope.

See all the fat doctors and lawyers and bankers in this country

Obesity is multifactorial. But there's many many fat rich people and fat poor people

zatarontoast · 30/10/2020 15:02

Really not as simple as that. I am from a developing country with very high levels of poverty and being fat is very much the privilege of the rich. I live in the UK and I'm not poor but I'm obese. I just prefer to eat high calorific foods.

melisande99 · 30/10/2020 15:06

In many poorer countries, NGOs and health agencies are finding obesity ramping up in demographics where until recently they were only seeing the opposite. It's become another kind of malnutrition. You can read up on it elsewhere - I'm not an expert.

If you object to the description of obesity as a disease, take it up with the OP - I'm referring to the thread title.

melisande99 · 30/10/2020 15:07

(that was in reply to BrumBoo)

emilyfrost · 30/10/2020 15:07

No, it’s not “.heartbreaking”.

People have self control, they have personal responsibility. It’s up to them to do something about if it becomes a problem, not society at large.

DdraigGoch · 30/10/2020 15:11

@AllUpInWomanBusiness

Talking about it is easier than going through it though isn’t it *@BearPlumApple*? I started it because it’s interesting. Sugar used to be a luxury item. Now I could go and buy 10 chocolate bars for a pound. How has food culture shifted so that’s possible? What does that mean for food producers/individuals/the environment? I’m not having a pop at poor people. Affordable luxury is the way many people can make it through the day. Or affordable calorie context. I just don’t understand how this became the prevailing food landscape in the west
You could buy a pack of chocolate bars for a pound. Or with the same pound you could buy two bags of carrots. Choices are what matter.
BLASTPROCESSING · 30/10/2020 15:11

Time to settle in nice and early for the weekly fat thread. 🍿

Sparklfairy · 30/10/2020 15:12

I never understand this logic. I live alone and am lucky enough that I can buy what I want when I want food wise. Every time I've had a bad day/feel fed up and want to "treat" myself on crap junk food I'm shocked at how expensive it is. That may be because I know I'll need to snack later due to the empty calories so subconsciously factor that in.

I can have a pork chop, 500g of frozen veg and some grated cheese over it for less than £1 total. If you wanted potatoes too you're talking pence. How is that more expensive than any junk meal??

Wroxie · 30/10/2020 15:13

I love how almost everyone is wrong, snide, and ill-informed about this topic, but in so many different ways! The world truly is a rainbow.

FatGirlShrinking · 30/10/2020 15:16

I'm not poor, I am fat.

I am fat because chocolate and pastries are delicious and I can afford to buy them.

I am also fat because I have PCOS so when I eat too much sugar my body can't process it properly.

I am also fat because I don't move enough.

I'm addressing it now and have gone from obese to overweight, but I guarantee that my weight has never had anything to do with finances.

You come across as very condescending OP, what is your position in this, are you obese? Are you poor? Why does this interest you?

Tearsofgravy · 30/10/2020 15:18

Please state the source of your data on this op.

Sounds like rubbish to me.